The Meeker herald., 1887-09-03

week oi september. 1879, when Uncle
Jim's cream krg WAS full tl fcpl.tipn.
that a mountain grizzly on deyiliry in,
tent, wandered down the river. Ills
careless wanierlngS led him into tho
vicinity Of The milk hlns,. which. AFTER
"a slight Investigation. hc seemed u cnn-
slider fair game, and without more ado.
drew back. struck the door several
blows, which would have made Mr.. J
l.. sullivan blush, ani crushed Il In.
Possession once gained he ili the law
on his side and made hlmNlf NJ home.
Not only did hr drink or spill al tho
milk. but drank all tie crelm MS well,
tncir Jim was bowling mll. the next
morning. ON discovering hts loss, aud
remarked:
"Alilk wasn't good enough Tor the
blamed hnr; hr must have crrim.'
lie Ut one" proceeded IA uc.ghi-r-'.;
borrowed a large rUrty-p1unI bslg trap:
carried /, home; srt il a. the do1r n tie
milk huusr: fastened llg o. tho cialn.
and " 'lowrl 70 that bar came un au
other crrnm.stell.ug. milksaigg.ng rx
petition, he'd get too,cl.'
The bear. however. nut forgetting the
rich rrpisl of night before. aud hay.
Ing nu conception ~ the reception in
store for hlm. came back waisrI
straight into iho trap. Uncle Jim was
mp ut daylight that morning. and. on
going Ia the milk h1usr. found the trap
hld disappeared fhis WA pr1uf that
bruin hai t-en ihcrc. aui that hc was
ia ,h, si.ums laM. " ,l,s .s.H, I1,r,
Baker; urigtitiur. George Gordon. who
was attrrward kiile.i Is tic Utrs dur
ing tho Mceser mnsgrrr in ts5I. nnd
several others. nii Htmti with rifles.
Uncle Jim went Ia pursuit nf tho cream
thief 'rhry hui uut followed Tar On
tho track until IA 8 came u ihr log
which had brt.n fastened To the chain %!
t4c trap. lirnin hBd got t'lr iOs fast ,lr-
twrrn tAn lrcts ami broken TIE chain.
Here was ample evidence that hruin was
large aud aisn well mufclc!' Ihry had
not procccici much farther when hguiu
was deserted iu a bunch II willows.
and they immediately oprnci fire on
him, upin which. bcins ~ cumlrruI
with the heavy trap ihst hc could not
Asht. especially ai long range. Do r.
treated to the heavy, tangled willows
thut l1ul,r Little Snake River \
council uf war was Ht once hell 4, dc.
trumiuc ilIr bgst mrtbDI q. d.sludsiug
his brurhip.
Uncle jim. whose Gshtin. hlnDd WIS
now thoroughly aroused. proposed to
follow him into tie brush. provided one
ut the loys would back him. which Ills
brother volunteered o. dD. Gordon. un
hoAriug this. climlci into small cut.
,orwooi tree. Immediately over the
place where the hc4s hal entered tile
willows. and awaited Developments.
Uncle Jim, with Dis backing" clos"
at his heels. then cautiously entered the
willows pn the track ul tile bear. with
his gun held In front OF him. frsdy tUt a
shot Oh the instant Not far had thsy
proceeded. however. before tie boar
arose out ui u natural ditch, almost at
th.ir.N.f feet. and made da.h at
them Uncle jim sprslag quickly back.
the stock OF his gun striking John in
the breast. knocking HIN down. aud
Uncle Jim fell oycr him The hear. in
s-=aa=-Hza- a.----a ssss=-tffF every ,.gtfrfI
to reach them. hat thry succrrdrd il,
making an iguominiuus retreat ont of
the willows. the bear following as fast
~ The heavy trap would allow him.
Gordon. In the tree outside. had become
excited at hearing Tie row in tile viii
lows aud had crawlcd ont on limb in
hopes of getting - better view ur tic
situation. and. just ns The bear emerged
from tho willows. his limb broke. land.
ing him directly hy the side u the now
thoroughly "riled' grizzly, Gordon, in
telling this incident said:
"l struck thr ground hy the side Of
the bear and bounced right back into
the tree again rs though I hu. been
made oi rubber! Scarcdy Rathprl!" I
Cnclr Jim and his brother then gave .
bruin his quic'us In the shape OF a
couple Of bullets through the heart |
and he WIS hauled tn the house and
weighed. tipping the beam at 1000
pounds.
Up to the present time Uncle Jim's
milk house has not been troubled with
any more bcUrish visitors. but the mark.
Of the claws uf the former visitor re-
main in the door to this day. II. ID.
Ia American Field n
Wen, Pat. Jim didn't quite kill You
with the brickbat, did he Z" No. but
wish he had "Nby SOP $50 that
'oull have seen him hung. tho villain ;. ,